Film Composer | Sound Designer | Voice Artist
Layal Watfeh’s story begins in the soulful city of Damascus, where music wasn’t just a background noise — it was a calling that came alive before she even had the words to describe it. From a young age, her mind played symphonies that no one else could hear, her imagination bursting with melodies shaped by emotion, observation, and wonder. While others her age were memorizing textbooks, Layal was composing scenes in her head — stories without scripts, told entirely through sound. At the age of eight, destiny introduced itself in the form of a piano key. Her mother, sensing something remarkable in her child, took her to the Higher Institute of Music in Damascus. There, a legendary figure in Syrian music, Mr. Solhi Al-Wadi, decided to test this little girl’s ear. He played a single note. She repeated it. Then two. Then eight. Each one came back with perfect pitch, stunning the maestro. In that moment, he turned to his wife and declared, “We have a very special child here today.” While her mother had come hoping Layal would study piano, Al-Wadi insisted she pick up the violin — a more demanding, more expressive instrument — believing it would best suit her rare musical intuition. That encounter wasn’t just a lesson. It was a spark. A moment that turned curiosity into conviction. When her family relocated to Dubai, Layal brought her dream with her, tightly wrapped in resilience and vision. She entered a world where female composers were rare, and the concept of scoring films and series was virtually unknown in her circles. Yet, rather than be discouraged by what didn’t exist, she chose to build what could be. Without formal music education in film scoring available to her, Layal taught herself — orchestration, composition, production — burning the midnight oil as she immersed herself in the world of sound. She was, in every way, a self-made symphonist. Her breakthrough came at just 23 years old when MBC, the largest media network in the Middle East, headhunted her. Layal stepped into the high-pressure, fast-paced world of television production, writing music for some of the region’s most iconic shows. Here, she didn’t just compose — she translated emotion into rhythm, culture into cadence, and silence into storytelling.
In 2009, she took a leap of faith and launched her own studio. It was a bold move, especially in an industry that had few women in leadership roles — let alone behind the music that drives stories. But Layal was never afraid to carve out space where none existed. Through her studio, she gained creative control over her projects and began building a legacy one score at a time. Since then, she has composed original music for more than 37 major projects, including international hits like Al Rawabi School for Girls and 6 Days. Her music — cinematic, deeply emotional, and culturally resonant — has earned her 15 international music awards and solidified her place as one of the most respected film composers in the Arab world.
Today, Layal is more than a creator of sound. She is a voice. A mentor. A trailblazer. As a voting member of the GRAMMY Recording Academy, she not only contributes to the global music conversation but actively shapes it. Yet, despite her accolades and recognition, her mission remains deeply human. She opens her doors to emerging creatives, especially women, and offers the kind of guidance she never had.
Her studio isn’t just a workplace — it’s a haven for aspiring composers, a place where creativity meets compassion. And her compassion doesn’t stop with music. Layal is also a devoted advocate for animal welfare, especially dog rescue. Her home is shared with animals she has personally saved and nurtured. For her, kindness is not a trait — it’s a practice, a rhythm that runs parallel to every note she writes.
When asked what advice she’d offer to a young dreamer who feels lost, her response is both tender and powerful: “You’re not lost — you’re learning. Every twist in the road is preparing you. One day, your voice will not only speak for you; it will lift others.”
Today, Layal Watfeh continues to write more than music. She writes stories with sound. She writes futures with faith. She writes legacy — one note, one heart, one generation at a time. Her journey is proof that when passion meets perseverance, the world not only listens — it changes.